Same As It Never Was
by Kailor Aurelius
Summary: When her life went all wrong she wished for a way to redo things...what if someone showed up with a deal that could give her just that?
1. Chapter 1

**Kailor: As always, I own nothing but the idea. This is the first chapter of a story I'm hoping to make my next "Sword and the Needle"...except better. Maybe...I hope...Anyways, reviews appreciated!**

**Naruto: And as always, there's no food to be found in this house.**

**Kailor: I've been working :( No time to shop.**

**Nuriko: Or clean. Which is why we exist.**

**Rikku: Wait...I thought we were co-author thingies. We're actually maids?**

**Kailor: ...slaves, to be more exact :D OH and keep in mind people, this is different and the same as the original story line. Just accept what I say as the facts of the story and DEAL WITH IT. :D Thank you. Review review review.**

"Setsuna?"

She turned her wheelchair slowly, lifting her head as best she could. Her white hair blew across her face as a breeze rolled through and she squinted between the strands of it to find the source of the voice. "Yes? Who's there?"

The graveyard was as silent as ever. Her young attendant from the nursing home was dozing in the car just as she usually was when she brought Setsuna here. There were no mourners today. Nobody crossed the vibrantly green grass to place artificial flowers on a grave or to simply stare at the tombstones like Setsuna did. The wind crawled between the stones and plaques, whistling a song she knew very well after all these years. Her oxygen tank whined softly behind her. The little monitor on her chair beeped steadily as it transmitted her vital signs to the matching black box at her attendant's hip. Nothing else made a sound or moved. This was, after all, a graveyard.

Assuming she was hearing things, she turned back to the row of tombstones before her.

"Setsuna."

This time she knew she wasn't hearing things. She pressed the button beside her finger, once again turning her chair.

Standing a few graves down was a young woman. Something about the way she had her brown hair tied up in two buns sparked a memory in Setsuna's mind, but she couldn't quite grasp it. Very few memories were easily available to her these days. "That's me. Who're you?" she asked.

The woman stepped closer and held her fist out.

Setsuna leaned her head away, wary.

Finger by finger, the stranger opened her hand to reveal a small pile of blue powder in her palm. "Let's see it this can remind you." She blew the powder into Setsuna's face.

Setsuna jerked back as best she could, clutching the arms of her chair to keep from falling face first to the graveyard grass. She tasted the powder's salty tang on her tongue and it burned in her nose and eyes. Coughing and retching, she attempted to rid herself of the foreign substance. Then the taste and the sting were gone. She closed her eyes and memories began to rush past her eyelids like a movie reel of her life.

She saw her old teacher and Eishun Konoe... Negi and Asuna and all of class 3-A... the festivals at Mahora... and Konoka. Mostly Konoka. When they were little, then at school, then in their later years.

She saw the day she could have told Konoka the truth about her feelings and once again she saw herself turn back into the rain and run away... Konoka never married... Setsuna never married... They were partners, but they never made the permanent pactio... And Setsuna spent every day wishing she'd said those few words that night in the rain...

She saw Asuna and Negi's falling out... how they never spoke again... Negi went back to England... Asuna and Ayaka stopped talking... Asuna left for China... Konoka cried nearly everyday and Setsuna could never find the words to comfort her... Ayaka married an abusive man and eventually admitted it was because his insults reminded her of Asuna and she'd take the beatings for those few moments remembering the redhead...

She saw every one of those people die all over again, saw Eva leaving for America, saw herself being admitted to the home... her attendant fussed over the sword she refused to let be thrown away... the graveyard... only a few of a once stronger-than-steel group buried together... her... all alone and aged beyond recognition. She saw for the first time just how deeply the wrinkles had set into her face, how far the muscles had fallen, how faded her eyes had become...

But now her eyes were clear and her memory kept running fleeting visions past them as she peered up at the woman before her. "Chao." Her voice suddenly sounded raspy and hoarse to her own ears. She'd never really paid attention to it before. After 107 years you stopped paying attention to pretty much everything.

Chao Lingshen smiled, the same smile she'd worn the few years Setsuna knew her. "There we go. Age seems to have taken its toll on your memory."

"Why are you here?"

Chao glanced to the side. "Same reason as you. Paying my respects."

Setsuna followed her gaze to the line of tombstones. "You're about thirty years late, Chao. Haruna was the last to go then."

"Ha," Chao barked. "I figured she'd outlive the rest of them. She was a fighter through and through. Yet, here you sit. Outlived everybody except Eva." Her smile widened. "Aren't you proud of yourself for hanging on so long?"

Setsuna scoffed. "It's only because I'm half-demon. Otherwise I'd be just as dead as the others. I wish I were."

"You shouldn't," Chao said.

"Why's that?"

"Because if you were I wouldn't be here offering you the deal I'm about to offer."

Setsuna looked back at her old classmate, her eyes narrowing. "What deal?"

Chao reached into her jacket and pulled out a pocket watch hanging from a long chain. It dangled between them, turning slowly in the breeze. Setsuna's heart monitor began to beep a little faster.

"Is that a-"

"Cassiopeia, yes. However, this one is a little different. It's the only one I will ever make with the special capabilities I've given it."

"Special capabilities?" Setsuna watched the watch swing back and forth, suddenly thinking she might be getting hypnotized.

As if reading her mind, Chao grabbed the watch and coiled the chain around it. "Very special. You've used these before. What did they do?"

"Brought us back in time."

"Right, but how did you look when you got there?"

"The same as when we left...what're you getting at?"

Chao grinned again. "This one de-ages you back to that time instead of just bringing you there and it can go back years, not hours." She seemed to see the confused look on Setsuna's face because she bent until they were eye level. "Setsuna, if I set this to take you back to when you were three years old, it would. And when you got there you would be three years old and you would take the place of the three year old you that was there. It gives you the chance to relive your life. With this, you can change your history."

Setsuna looked again at the little watch sitting in Chao's hand. Her heart monitor sped up once again. She could go back? Relive her life? Change her history? See her friends again?

Wait...

"What's the catch?" she said, looking Chao in the eyes.

Chao's grin grew wider. "No catch really. Just a condition."

"I call that a catch."

"You were always so cynical." Chao laughed and placed the watch in Setsuna's hand. "I have a favor to ask. When you get back there..." Her voice dropped off and Setsuna leaned closer to hear her words. "When you get back there...let Asakura take more pictures of everyone. There are only a few left in existence. I miss seeing your faces sometimes and I only have one. When we meet again, can you make sure I get some?"

"Will we meet again? I mean, if I'm going back to change history...we may never meet again."

"We'll meet again. I promise. Just get me those pictures, okay?" Chao straightened up and turned, weaving her way back through the tombstones to wherever she had come from. "Oh, and one more condition. It can only be used once. I've already set the date and time. You just have to hit the top button. Keep in mind, some things will be hard to change and some things may seem impossible, but don't give up."

"Chao!"

The young woman stopped.

"Why're you giving me this?"

Chao stood still for a moment, her jacket blowing in the wind. Then she looked back at the old woman perched in her wheelchair. "You were always one of my favorite classmates. Things didn't go well with our class and you saw it all. You remember it all now. You can change it. I just want everyone to have a second chance at being happy."

"Then why don't you go back?"

"I'm not from your time, remember?" Chao smiled again, but this time it didn't reach her eyes. "And I only have so much of this time left anyways."

"What do you-"

"Don't forget my pictures, Setsuna." Chao turned her back on the aged swordsman and began walking again. "I'll be waiting. Oh, dammit. I keep forgetting things." Without stopping, she glanced back and grinned once more. "Happy birthday, Setsuna."

A car door slammed and Setsuna saw her attendant making her way through the graveyard. She was eyeing Chao suspiciously and hurrying to Setsuna's side. "Ms. Sakurazaki? What is that you have? Give it here. You know you shouldn't take things from strangers. Ms. Sakurazaki?"

She was going to take the watch away. Setsuna glanced at Chao's retreating figure and the advancing attendant. The woman's hand was outstretched and she was motioning for Setsuna to hand it over. Instead, Setsuna popped it open. Her heart monitor began to beep so fast it sounded like one continuous sound. There was a roaring in her ears and the graveyard suddenly seemed so loud.

"Ms. Sakurazaki! Give that here, please!"

The inside throbbed with a glowing blue light and the four hands were fixed on a certain time and date. She pressed the button on top and magic surged through her body for the first time in decades. The blue light leapt from the watch and swallowed her up, blocking out the attendant and the graveyard. The last thing she saw was Chao. The young woman held up a hand, not bothering to turn back around. Then the world was blue...

Then white...

Then black...

"Happy birthday, Setsuna."


	2. Chapter 2

**Kailor: Oh my, the reviews are piling up for this story! Thanks to all of you, so much! Review this chappie too, please!**

**Naruto: -answers his phone- Hello, Epicenter of the Universe, God speaking.**

**Nuriko and Kailor: PAHAHAHAHAHAHA OMG.**

**Naruto: SHUT UP! **

**Rikku: Heh heh...epicenter. Funny word.**

"Happy birthday, Setsuna."

That voice...she hadn't heard that voice in many years. She opened her eyes.

Above her was the bottom of a top bunk. The wooden cross bars looked so familiar, yet so foreign. The cream colored mattress on the other side of them pressed downwards, puffing down between the bars in a regular pattern all the way to the foot of the bed. She reached up a shaking hand to touch them-

But her hand wasn't shaking. Was that her hand? No, her hands always shook. And this hand was so smooth and steady, devoid of liver spots and arthritis riddled fingers. The only flaw in this hand was the small, white scar in the soft folds between the thumb and forefinger. The scar of a swordsman...

She sat up, amazed at how easily her muscles obeyed and-muscles!

"You're going to miss the train if you don't hurry up," that voice said again.

Setsuna blinked at the dark-haired woman-no, girl- stepping out of the bathroom. She smiled at Setsuna, pulling on her burgundy blazer. Mana Tatsumiya...

The last time Setsuna had seen Mana they'd been in their forties, fighting a demon together in Russia. She'd heard later on, when Mana died at the age of 78, that she had taken all the money she'd earned over her long life and gave it to a bunch of orphanages and charities around Japan. She'd never pictured Mana as the charitable type.

But then again, maybe Mana wanted it that way.

"Morning, Mana." Was that her voice? Just minutes before it had sounded so rough and dry. No, not minutes before...in the far far off future...

"Morning, Setsuna." Mana wandered into the kitchen to grab a bite of breakfast. "You going to get up soon or are you planning on spending your birthday in bed?"

"I'm getting up," Setsuna said. She glanced around for her wheelchair before mentally slapping herself. She hadn't needed the wheelchair until she was 93 and her legs had been broken while fighting a rogue mage in Africa... How old was she now? "Hey, Mana? How old am I today?"

"Sixteen." Mana called from the kitchen. "You okay, Setsuna? Early onset of Alzheimer's?"

Sixteen...She was a teenager again... "No, just making sure you remembered. Thanks." She took a deep breath and stood. The floor suddenly seemed so far away. Despite knowing she was only five foot, she felt very tall at that moment. She took a few steps, trying not to start crying at how easily she could move. A few more steps and she closed herself in the bathroom, locking the door.

The girl in the mirror blinked back at her, eyes wide and jaw slack. Was that her?

She reached up and ran her hands through her black hair, thrilled by how soft it felt. She was all soft. Her hair, her skin, her hands... There were no wrinkles. No gaps in her teeth. No rough patches. No bald spots on her head. No hair on her legs.

She met her own black eyes in the mirror and laughed, touching her face. She pinched her cheeks and stretched them out, watching them spring right back to where they were. Her hands trailed down her neck to her chest. Holy shit, she had perky breasts again!

Her legs and stomach felt hard and strong and her back-her wings.

When she was 56 she'd gone back to her tribe, head held high to show them that despite their abandonment, she had accepted her white wings and was not ashamed of them. It took half her life to build up the courage and pride to do that.

It turned out to be one of the biggest mistakes of her life. Angered by her non-repentant attitude, the elders had her captured. She fought hard, but their sheer numbers overpowered her and she'd been chained up in the center of the tribe's village while the elders cut off her wings and her people cheered around them. Luckily, she had passed out around the second cutting and she barely remembered the incident. Konoka and Kaede showed up and saved her, but they were too late to save her wings. The healer did her best to seal them up, but she couldn't regrow them.

Setsuna rushed to pull off her pajama top, breaking buttons in her hurry. Finally she managed to claw the last bit of fabric from her torso and her wings exploded from her back, knocking her and Mana's toothbrushes off the counter and breaking the towel rack off the wall. White feathers floated down around her and she could no longer hold back the tears.

She sank to the floor, her wings wrapped tightly around herself as she cried and pressed her face against the soft down on their insides.

"Setsuna? Are you okay in there?" Mana's voice vibrated through the door and Setsuna cleared her throat, trying to keep her sobs out of her reply.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'll be out in a second."

She had her wings back. She had her muscles back. She was sixteen again.

A few minutes later she grudgingly pulled her wings back into her body and washed the evidence of tears from her face. She replaced the toothbrushes on the counter, tried and failed to fix the towel rack, then pulled her pajama top back on.

Mana was tying her shoes when Setsuna stepped out of the bathroom. "You know you're going to miss the train right?" Her eyes skittered over the missing buttons on Setsuna's shirt, but she didn't comment.

"That's fine," Setsuna said, moving to the closet to get her uniform. "I'm running to school today."

"All the way to the high school? It's a bit farther than the middle school, you know."

That's right. She'd turned sixteen in her first year of high school. She looked over the blazers and ties hanging on her side of the closet, confused. Then she remembered the high school had switched to the same kind of uniforms as the middle school when she was still in 3-A. That meant she was now in 4-A, at the high school. Sixteen...

She hurried into the familiar uniform, not bothering to straighten her tie or button up her blazer. Mana was walking out the door when Setsuna grabbed her sword and raced after her. They trotted together to the bottom floor of the dormitory and Setsuna waved as she shot out the side door and down the street.

She hadn't run in years. Wind lashed at her face and hair, whipping it about. She'd forgotten to put it up like she used to. The way her legs pumped steadily and quickly without a jump or failure sent chills up her spine. Her pulse pounded in her throat. There was no beeping at her hip. It was her own muscles carrying her down the street, not two wheels and a motor. It burned to breathe deeply, but she gasped in puff after puff of sweet morning air. The grin on her face threatened to split her cheeks open, but she couldn't help it.

Buildings and people flew by, just a blur out of the corners of her eyes. People exclaimed as she barreled past them. The concrete beat a jungle rhythym against the soles of her shoes. She bolted across streets so fast that oncoming cars didn't even have time to hit their brakes before she was gone.

She slowed down when she reached the junior high and glanced around, trying to remember which way the high school was. None of the students bustling past her looked like high school students.

She moved over to an alley between the main building and one of the gyms. A drain pipe ran down the side of it and she grabbed hold, hoisting herself up it in little spurts. By the time she reached the top she was panting hard, but it just felt so good to climb and sprint again. She flipped up onto the rooftop and scoured the surrounding buildings.

"Ah, there you are," she spotted the high school's red roof. Getting a running start, she launched herself off of the roof and landed neatly on the roof court of the gymnasium next door. She gulped in a few deep breaths and threw herself over the edge. The trees surrounding the back of the building loomed up at her quickly and she aimed for an outstretched branch below. It bent as she hit it, but she ricocheted off of it and onto the next one before it could break. The forest zoomed by and she let out a laugh that echoed up through the leaves behind her.

The last stragglers were crowding through the doors of the high school when she arrived, clutching her ribs. It hurt like crazy, but she loved it.

She jogged into the building, her memory painting a quick sketch of where everything was. She mounted the stairs three at a time and power-walked down to their classroom. The little sign hanging by the door read, "4-A" and she grinned, proud of herself for remembering where it was.

The door was just opening when she reached it.

"Setsuna! There you are. We were just wondering where you were!" Negi's bright red hair stuck out the open doorway and his beaming smile matched her own. "We can't start the party without you!"

Party? Oh, right! 4-A had thrown her a party for her birthday that year. Negi pulled her into the room and she realized how odd it was that he was once again shorter than her. Not for long though.

"Happy birthday, Setsuna!" Confetti leapt about her, flipping through the air as the class yelled in chorus. She looked from smiling face to smiling face, amazed at how young everyone looked.

Ayaka and Asuna were standing together by Negi's desk, where food and drink had been set up. Ayaka was rolling her eyes as Asuna said something about the chips being good for her. When Asuna reached out and lightly punched Ayaka in the arm, Setsuna felt tears spring to her eyes.

She hadn't seen the two of them together in decades. But now, here they were: talking, grinning, and insulting each other. Using her blazer sleeve, she quickly wiped the offending moisture from her cheeks.

"Why're you crying, Setsuna?"

Time stopped.

The confetti seemed to freeze in air, the people cheering around her faded into white noise, and she spun to find Konoka standing beside her, grinning. She was so young, so beautiful. The last time she'd seen those deep, brown eyes they'd been closing for the last time. That gorgeous hip length hair had been shorn short and that smile had trembled with age.

"Konoka."

The young healer reached up and straightened Setsuna's tie, patting it once it was perfect. "Happy birthday, Setsuna."


	3. Chapter 3

**Kailor: Thanks again for all my wonderful reviewers! Keep them coming, eh?**

**Rikku: Kai...somebody's at the door...and she's waving a banana around.**

**Kailor, Naruto, and Nuriko: Su.**

**Kailor: My buddy! You're back!**

**Su: I brought ramen!**

**Everyone: YAY!**

To her complete surprise, she was suddenly as awkward and tongue-tied around Konoka as she really had been at age sixteen. Her face heated up and she searched for something to say. This was the first time in thirty-two years that she'd seen the healer. Say something...say something...

"How'd you sleep?" she heard herself say. WHAT! How'd you sleep! More than three decades without seeing her and all she could manage was HOW'D YOU SLEEP!

"Great!" Konoka bubbled, apparently not noticing the aura of self-loathing Setsuna was giving off. "Negi snuck in with Asuna again, so needless to say this morning was as eventful as always."

She peeked over at Negi. He was laughing at something Ayaka had said. Asuna was fixing the collar of his shirt that had bent up in back. She hadn't seen them talk for nearly a century...

They'd had their falling out when Setsuna was seventeen and after graduation, Negi left. During their last years of high school Negi lived with Kotaro in the boy's dormitories and rarely called on Asuna in class. Despite everyone in the class and associated with it trying to fix the relationship between them, Asuna refused to forgive whatever Negi had done and Negi wouldn't say anything about it. Their falling out had been the largest reason for the class growing apart near the end of high school. Without Negi moving from each group to the other, the students didn't associate as much as before. It went back to how it had been before Negi had come to Japan: everyone doing their own thing. Negi was very hard to find outside of class and Asuna spent most of her time up at Ayaka's house. Until they stopped talking too and-

Wait...

Seventeen? That meant next year was the beginning of Asuna and Negi's falling out. Whatever broke the bond between them was going to happen within this year or the next! She made a mental note to keep very close tabs on the two of them.

"You alive in there, swordsman?" Evangeline swept around the front desks to stand at Setsuna's side.

Setsuna fought the urge to hug the little vampire.

Eva had been freed from her entrapment at Mahora their last year of junior high, but she'd agreed to stay on until their class graduated. She said it was so she could keep an eye on Negi, who stayed their homeroom teacher to the end. Setsuna knew it was more because 3-A had grown on her, despite her fervent denials. After high school Eva roamed the world, occasionally showing up to help out or just to visit. When Haruna had died Eva moved in with Setsuna for a few years before the swordsman talked her into letting her go to the home. Eva went off to America and Setsuna never saw her again, but those few years they'd lived together had made them fast friends. Though Setsuna had expected it, the vampiress never complained about taking care of her aging classmate and for that Setsuna would always owe her. Even if it hadn't happened yet this time around.

"More alive than ever," Setsuna said. Her chest felt tight with all the giddy pressure building up. She shook her arms and tapped her toes, attempting to keep from jumping every person around her. Instead she turned and wrapped Konoka in a quick, tight hug.

"Oh my, Setsuna! Hi!" Konoka giggled and blushed prettily.

"Thank you," Setsuna said, meaning for the birthday party. A part of her knew she was really thanking a certain Chinese girl waiting in the future.

Konoka blinked, obviously taken aback by the giant smile on Setsuna's face. "You're welcome. Hey, Asuna, we've gotta do this every year! Look at this grin!"

Asuna hopped over, winking. "I knew you'd like it. We know you're not much of a partier, but-"

"It's great, Asuna. Thank you." She moved in and hugged the redhead too.

Asuna "oofed" as the embrace pushed her breath out for a moment. "Touchy-feely today, ain't you? Hey, everybody! Sakurazaki wants a dog pile!"

"No, Asuna, wai-agh!"

With Konoka and Asuna in the lead, the class moved in to group hug the blushing swordsman. Setsuna complained loudly, feebly trying to escape, but she loved every second of it. The entire party was amazing for her. Every time someone touched her shoulder and wished her a happy birthday, or offered to refill her drink, or yelled across the room to her, she wanted to cry.

They were all so young, so full of life and so innocent. None of them had married or had children yet. None of them had bills to keep up with. Nobody in that room had to push buttons on a chair to get around. There wasn't a single beeping box at anyone's hip. There were no bent backs or defeated faces that came with age.

They were teenagers again. They were class 3-A- no, 4-A now.

"Setsuna?" Konoka leaned into her arm, gazing up at the half-demon's face. "Are you sure you're okay? You're crying again."

Setsuna blotted the rogue tears that had escaped her eyes and were fleeing towards her chin. "No, I'm fine. I really, really am. I'm just...so happy to be here with all of you."

Konoka's face melted into a that's-so-cute expression and she nuzzled closer, clasping her arms around Setsuna's.

Far too soon, the bell rang and the class moved towards their next destination.

_No, not yet. Wait. _

"Wait!" The class halted as Setsuna sought words to thank them all. She fidgeted under their collective gazes, but finally she managed to say, "H-how about karaoke tonight? Everyone, I mean."

She laughed at the incredulous looks that passed around the class. Then Sakurako, to nobody's surprise, said, "Hell yeah, let's do it! Can everyone do seven?" Affirmative murmurs rolled through the crowd and the expected grumbles from Chisame soon turned to resignated sighs. "Good idea, Sakurazaki!" Sakurako flashed her a thumbs up.

Setsuna took a steadying breath as everyone filed out. She had thought that actually being nearly a century older than everyone else would make speaking before them easier, but her body had reacted just like it always had at sixteen. She ran her hands down her skirt, wiping away the light sheen of sweat that had covered her palms when all those eyes had turned to her.

"Hey, Setsuna, you coming?" Konoka waved from the doorway. "We've got class."

Setsuna grabbed her sword and hurried after the healer.

Classes passed quickly. Takahata, Shizuna, and a few other instructors, including the headmaster himself, made it a point to tell her happy birthday. When school let out Setsuna joined Negi, Asuna, Konoka, and Ayaka for the train ride back to the dorms. Kotaro found their compartment about halfway there and he wished her happy birthday before giving her a small packet of chocolate.

"It's all I could afford," he said, shrugging like it meant nothing to him, but he blushed when she hugged him.

Setsuna walked to Konoka, Asuna, and Negi's room with them and Konoka made a light meal for them as Asuna and Negi argued about after-school lessons and Setsuna roamed through the room, reacquainting herself with the place.

Konoka's laptop was open on the desk and when Setsuna passed her hand bumped the mouse. The screen lit up and Setsuna found herself staring at a picture of herself and Konoka. She was dressed up in a fine samurai outift and Konoka made a ravishing kimono clad princess. Oh, from their trip to Kyoto! She smiled, remembering how embarrassed she'd been to pose with her charge like that and how she'd asked the girls to email her the picture afterwards.

_Thank any deities listening for that field trip._

Speaking of pictures...she already had a plan to ensure Asakura would bring her loads of pictures. "Hey, Asuna."

The redhead looked up from the drawer she was digging through.

"Are there any openings at your job delivering papers?"

Asuna's eyebrows drew together and she squinted at the wall for a moment. "Yeah, that kid Oyama was always calling in sick so they finally fired him. I've been doing his routes. I can ask the Maichos about setting you up to take over his jobs." Asuna turned her squinted gaze on Setsuna. "I thought you had a job though. Don't you do monster hunting with Mana?"

"Yeah, but that job's not really steady. It's well-paying, but the jobs were kinda few and far between in high school."

Asuna's gaze grew narrower. "Were? High school just barely started."

Crap. Setsuna scrambled to correct her slip up. "I mean so far! And uh, I don't want to rely on a job that isn't steady. You really think you could get me a job at Maicho News?"

Asuna's expression cleared and Setsuna sighed with relief. "Sure, I'll ask them tomorrow morning. I'm sure it'll be no problem."

"What do you need a steady job for, Setsuna?" Negi's voice called down from his little loft. "Saving up for something?"

"Sort of." Setsuna left them with that vague answer and drifted into the kitchen to help Konoka bring out their meal.

They ate, Setsuna insisted on helping Konoka with the dishes, then she departed for her own room to get dressed for the night ahead. Mana was already there, changing out of her shrine maiden's outfit.

"Put in a few hours before karaoke, Mana?" Setsuna asked as she pulled on some jeans and a plain gold t-shirt.

"Yeah, there was an exorcism today so I had to." Mana said, shrugging on a light jacket. "I found the towel rack."

Setsuna flushed, having completely forgotten about it. "I forgot about that. Sorry. I kinda fell."

"It's okay," Mana laughed. "I never really used it anyways, but I know you do so I fixed it for you."

Setsuna paused, halfway out the door and stuck her head back in to grin at her roommate. "Well, thank you for that. Just put it on my tab." Since this was usually Mana's line, the hunter's face fell into the closest thing she'd ever seen to a pout. Setsuna laughed, closing the door behind her.

The karaoke bar was packed when the class arrived. She sat beside Konoka and Negi at a little table near the center of the room.

"Happy birthday, kiddo." Chamo popped his head up out of the hood on Negi's jacket.

"Hey, Chamo. I was wondering where you were."

"I was uh, detained this morning. Ahem."

"Meaning he was in my panties again so I gave him a concussion," Asuna said, taking the seat across from them.

"I swear, I thought it was your shirt drawer!"

"That doesn't make it any better, perverted ermine!"

Setsuna caught sight of Asakura sitting with Ku and Kaede up near the stage. Excusing herself, she wormed through the cluster of tables and people. "Asakura!"

"Oh, hey, birthday girl! Say cheese!" Asakura snapped a picture of her before she could protest.

Blinking until her vision returned, Setsuna leaned down to speak with Asakura. "I want to hire you."

Asakura cocked an eyebrow suggestively and pretended to blush. "Oh, Setsuna, you don't have to pay me for that."

Ku choked on her drink and Kaede tossed her head back, laughing. Setsuna couldn't resist rolling her eyes. "I want to hire you as a photographer."

"I'm not a photographer!" Asakura sniffed, playing at being affronted. "I'm a reporter! A journalist! A writer who uses both words and images to tell a story to the masses!"

"Okay, but I just want to hire you as a photographer."

Asakura poked out her bottom lip, looking a little let down. "Well, fine. Belittle my trade, why don't ya? What am I taking pictures of?"

"Everyone." Setsuna swept her arm around the bar, indicating their classmates grouped about. "All of class 4-A. I want pictures of the whole class together and all seperately and any other pictures you can get. As many as you can possibly take."

The joking pout slid off Asakura's face. "That's it? Would you like the pictures I have from over the years already?"

"Most definitely."

"Alright, I can do that. What's the pay gonna be like?"

"We'll discuss that when I get my first shipment of pictures."

Asakura tapped her camera to her lip. "How long will I be doing this for?"

Setsuna pondered that, watching Nodoka and Yue as they listened to Haruna's newest ramblings. "You know what...you keep the pictures coming until I tell you I have enough."

Asakura extended a hand. "You've got a deal, boss."

Setsuna shook the proffered hand and made her way back through the mob of people. So she had pictures coming for Chao. Now for the other most pressing problem on her mind. When had that chance to tell Konoka how she felt come? She remembered clearly running through the rain and the hurt look on the healer's face, but when exactly had that happened?

They were in high school...she'd been leaving to go train at Eva's one night...It had been storming something fierce...Konoka had followed her out the dorms and bid her a goodnight... Her words had left something hanging in the air between them and she had immediately recognized it as _**the**_ moment to confess. It was then or she'd never be able to get it out. And she'd bowed, uttered a goodnight, and ran off into the rain. After that night she and Konoka's "just friends" relationship had been set in stone. There never came another moment when Setsuna felt the overwhelming drive to say those three words. Konoka never left her another opening for it. She'd been right to think that moment was _**the **_moment, and she'd screwed it up.

She wouldn't this time around. She just had to remember when exactly it had happened so she could mentally prepare herself. This time was probably going to be twice as hard because she knew the consequences of running away. She would HAVE to confess. There was no choice. She was going to have to practice in the mirror a few times and nail it. She couldn't miss that moment again.

"Setsuna!"

She started as Eva's voice cut through her reverie. Guiltily, she realized the vampire had been calling her name for quite a few awkward moments now. "Oh, uh, yes? What?"

"I said, you don't have your sword with you," the vampire growled, annoyed.

"Oh, no. I left it at the dorm tonight."

"What about your pactio card?"

Crap again. She'd left that too. "Ah, that too. I wasn't really all there when I was preparing to come out."

"I should think not, since you seem to have forgotten our training session tonight."

"Our what?"

"Training session? We train every other night, remember?"

Setsuna did once she said it. "Oh right. I'm sorry. I'll run home and grab them once we're done here then fly over to your place."

Eva nodded, satisfied. "Alright, but don't forget the next time we have training."

Outside a large rumble rolled through the air, growing louder. The sound made Setsuna jump again.

"You okay, Setsuna? You're kinda jumpy tonight. I hope you're not scared of training with me."

Thunder sounded again before Setsuna could reply. The soft pitter-patter on the roof signalled the beginning of the rain.

Rain...

Training...

Wait...


	4. Chapter 4

**Kailor: Check the reviews my friends! I've got fangirls lmao! Friend me on facebook so we can chat, me lovely readers!**

**Nuriko: Hey, Naruto. Who were you on the phone with in that other chapter?**

**Naruto: Your mom.**

**Nuriko: Good one. Real original. But you might want to save your breath. You're gonna need it to blow up your date.**

**Rikku: -spits out orange juice, laughing-**

**Su: What's that mean?**

**Everyone: ...**

**Kailor: P.S. everybody, Oyama and Maicho News? Go ahead and flip through the first book again. Those are the real names used :)**

The rain had become a downpour by the time they decided to call it a night.

"Odd," Ayaka said, staring out at the squall. "The weather report didn't say anything about a storm tonight. You'd think one this big would show up on somebody's radar."

"Eh, it happens." Asuna shrugged her jacket higher and popped the collar up. "Where's your fancy shmancy car now? You could give us all a ride home!"

"I walked here, just like the rest of you!"

"Oh god, did daddy go bankrupt or something? THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT IS ENDING!"

"Shove off, monkey!"

"Bite me, pedophile!"

"Girls, girls," Negi attempted to pacify the quarreling classmates, but they ignored him. A minute later both of them were face first in a puddle and still fighting.

Konoka rolled her eyes and bumped Setsuna's arm. "Let's leave those two to it. You didn't bring a jacket?"

"I didn't think to grab one," Setsuna replied, shrugging.

"Well, come on then. Get under here." Konoka slid her jacket off and held it over her head, leaving room for Setsuna to duck under with her.

Her heart pounded as she stepped under the jacket. It was her sixteenth birthday. Was tonight the night? Wouldn't she have remembered it being on her birthday? Then again, she was really 107 years old. Whatever Chao had blown into her face had cleared her memory, but not completely. Was it tonight? Wait, what if she'd already changed history just by coming out tonight? Would the moment ever come now? If it did, would it be the same? Was tonight not really supposed to be the night, but going to be the night anyways now?

_Ugh, all the questions!_

The healer and swordsman hurried through the rain, diving into alleys and under store awnings as often as possible. Konoka would take those opportunities to wring out her jacket and Setsuna would do the same to her pants legs. Finally the dorms emerged from the sheets of rain and they raced into the foyer together, spraying water across the tiles and shrieking as the air conditioning attacked their skin. Setsuna stepped away and shook herself like a dog. Konoka gasped as the cold droplets assaulted her. "Setsuna!"

"Oops, my bad!" She dodged as Konoka swung the sopping wet jacket at her.

Laughing, she took off for the stairs and Konoka chased after, still swinging the jacket. Her shoes squeaked and slid beneath her, but she got to her door first and had it unlocked and half open before the healer crashed into her. They tumbled through the opening, laughing and groaning in pain. Setsuna rolled out from under Konoka, rubbing the shoulder she'd landed on. "Ow, are you trying to kill me?"

"Nah," Konoka giggled. "Just maim and/or dismember in any way possible."

"Well, that's so much better." She left the laughing healer on the floor and rolled to her feet, grabbing her sword and a thick black sweater. "I've got to get to Evangeline's place."

"In this weather? Can't you cancel for tonight?"

"It's not that bad," Setsuna said. Really she just wanted to swing a sword again. It had been years since she'd had the strength to even draw a blade.

And another part of her was secretly hoping tonight was the night and that it would still play out just as it had befo- wait...how did it play out exactly? What had Konoka said that had signalled _**the **_moment to confess? If she could just remember she could think of something to say back! She'd be more prepared! Crap!

"Well, I'll walk you out then." Konoka held up a hand, allowing the swordsman to hoist her up off the floor.

Oh god, was it tonight?

The storm had become a tempest and lightning flashed just as they stepped out of the foyer. Konoka hung back, just inside the doorway to avoid the lashing rain. Setsuna pulled on her sweater and tied her sword to her belt. It would be a lot harder to fly in this weather than to run. This disappointed her to an extent because she really wanted to test her memory of flying, but at the same time she was thrilled at the chance to run clear across campus again. Though it had only been hours since her last sprinting session, she already craved that aching burn in her muscles. She turned to bid Konoka a goodnight, already feeling heat rush to her cheeks. Her stomach was churning with anxiety and she knew this was it. This was either going to be the moment or not. And she hadn't remembered exactly what Konoka's words were that night...

What was Konoka going to say?

What was Setsuna going to reply?

Konoka, as if sensing the awkward tension in the air, stepped back a little into the shadow of the foyer. "Be careful, Setsuna. If your phone survives the trip to Eva's, text me when you get there."

Oh, good point. She pulled out her phone, making sure it wasn't soaked and handed it to Konoka. "Better idea. You keep mine and I'll have Eva text you."

Konoka laughed and tucked the phone into her back pocket. "That works too."

For another painful moment, Setsuna stood there, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Why didn't she just come out and say it? Why did Konoka have to initiate the moment? She could do it! She'd had a whole other lifetime to think about saying it! Say it!

She opened her mouth.

"Well, you better hurry along before Eva comes looking for you. She hates being kept waiting, you know." Konoka remarked, moving another inch away.

Setsuna closed her mouth, silently relieved. She nodded and turned to leave.

"Night!" Konoka called after her. "Have fun! Love you!"

_**There. **_

Setsuna froze. That was it. That's what Konoka had said. That simple "love you" had been what sparked _**the **_moment. This was it.

Just like before, the words hung in the air between them. They dangled like a fish on a line, gasping for life that only she could give them. The way Konoka had said them was so innocent, but the weight of those words again pressed against her lungs, stealing away her breath. They _**meant **_something and all Setsuna had to do was acknowledge that fact. Give the fish water... Say it back... Say it...

She pivoted back to face the healer.

Konoka was still half-cloaked in the threshold's shadow, her arms wrapped around herself as if those tiny limbs could hold off the cold. The little part of her face that Setsuna could see was red and her teeth were worrying at her lip, pulling on the soft skin.

Like she really was sixteen again, Setsuna glanced away, embarrassed by the openly hopeful expression on the healer's face.

_Say it... Say something..._

Like an echo from her past, she heard herself say, "Ah, goodnight to you too." And she turned and dashed into the rain.

NO!

She'd come back to change _**that **_moment! Her whole life she'd spent wishing she'd said ANYTHING but those words! Now she'd really had that chance and she'd run AGAIN! The rain slapped hard against her face and she welcomed the pain, her entire body screaming at her. After all those years dreaming of making things right, of doing things over, she'd thrown it all away for a second time! Just like before, she'd choked on the words, stumbled over the intensely warm feeling in her chest, and fallen face first into CRAP!

She stopped running. The rain smacked against her sword case, making a pulsating beat that suddenly became the sound of her own heart pounding against her rib cage.

She'd lived an entire lifetime and was still making the same stupid mistakes.

What if she went back and told Konoka the truth and found out the words really didn't mean what she wanted them to? Had she endured an entire lifetime beating herself up over a single moment, only to find out it was never real? What if-

_"It gives you the chance to relive your life. With this, you can change your history."_

Chao's words rang in her ears as clearly as if her old classmate were standing right beside her.

That's right. She'd come back here to _change _her history. Change it...not repeat it. So what if Konoka hadn't meant it that way? She'd already lived one life without telling Konoka the truth and she couldn't do it again.

She wouldn't do it again.

She turned and bolted back the way she'd come.

The dorm foyer looked empty as it came into view again. How long had it been since she'd left? A few minutes? Where could Konoka have gone?

Something moved in the doorway.

"Setsuna?" Konoka appeared, blinking furiously to try and hide the moisture in her eyes. "Did you forget something?"

Her voice cracked on the last word and Setsuna felt like she'd been punched in the gut by Rakan. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The thought that she'd made Konoka cry made her physically ill. Her feet moved apart to steady her as the world gave a tilted jerk.

"Setsuna?" Worry was now in Konoka's voice. "Are you okay?"

She opened her eyes. The healer had stepped out into the rain, squinting against the driving waterdrops. Her dark hair was plastered to her head and back and she was hugging herself even tighter than before. Rain rolled down her face and Setsuna wondered for a moment how much of it was salty. "I did forget something," Setsuna choked out.

"What?"

"How stupid a sixteen year old can be."

Before Konoka could respond, Setsuna closed the distance between them and kissed her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Kailor: Okay, I don't mean to "toot my own horn" or anything, but I fangirl squealed as I was writing those last few lines, lmao! Oh, and just so everyone knows: there was a certain fanfic I read a little while back that had five chapters but only 10 reviews. I just realized this IS my fifth chapter and I've already got 30 reviews! So, dear person who has no idea I was competing with them, I WIN! MWAHAHAHAHA!**

**Nuriko: Wait a second, Naruto. Who were you on the phone with, really?**

**Kailor: Miaka.**

**Naruto: KAI!**

**Kailor: Oops. 0.0 Was I not supposed to say that?**

**Nuriko: ...why were you talking to my woman?**

**Rikku: Yeah, why were you talking to another woman?**

**Naruto: Uh...**

**Kailor: ANYWAYS! If you got two notifications that I put up chapter 5, it's because I put it up but then took it down to fix something right quick. Now its back up lol!**

And just when she thought she wouldn't be flying tonight...

A million butterflies soared through her gut and her heart stopped beating. The splashing of the rain on the concrete turned into a symphony that filled her ears, broken only by the soft sigh that slipped out of Konoka's mouth before Setsuna's captured it. Her lungs were suddenly so full she thought they would burst. A tantilizing whiff of lavender soap joined the thick scent of the storm. The healer's hair, heavy with water, slicked between her fingers, a few strands clinging to her palms. Konoka's hands fisted into Setsuna's t-shirt, dragging it up enough that the cold, driving waterdrops lashed against her stomach and lower back. Rivulets streamed down her shoulders and into her eyes, but she didn't feel the chill. Like wildfire through a dry forest, goosebumps ran across her entire body, carrying with them a tingling so fierce it made her shake. And god, those lips...as soft as she'd always imagined, as sweet as she'd hoped, and pressing back against her own with just as much hunger.

And all of that...in the span of a few seconds...

Their lips broke apart and the world came back with shattering force. Every raindrop, every misty puff of breath, every rumble of thunder became real again. Konoka's face was tilted up to hers, eyes still closed. For another moment the healer stood that way, her breath fogging between them. Setsuna realized she was barely letting herself breathe at all. Then Konoka's hands loosened on her shirt and she opened her eyes.

Though she had to squint against the rain, Konoka looked up into Setsuna's face. The swordsman's heart raced as she waited for the chocolate-haired girl to speak. Say anything.

_Please, say something. Tell me I came back for something more than a wish._

And she smiled.

Konoka smiled.

It was slow in coming and spread across her face bit by bit until it was a full blown grin. But there it was. She smiled.

Tears jumped to Setsuna's eyes.

"You have no idea how long I've been wanting you to do that," Konoka whispered.

"Not nearly as long as I've been wanting to do it," Setsuna assured her, choking on the words as a sob fought to claw its way out of her.

"Let's not make it as long until next time." Konoka pushed up on her toes and kissed her again.

When Setsuna rushed through the door of Eva's cottage the vampire was sitting on the couch, surrounded by her dolls and looking every bit the evil wizard. "You're late," she snapped.

"I got held up," Setsuna offered lamely.

"Well, I have a life you know. I don't exist for the sole purpose of training little brats like you and the other two-what the hell are you laughing about?"

Setsuna couldn't help herself. She laughed so hard her cheeks and ribs were aching and Eva eventually stomped out of the room, ranting about being surrounded by idiots. This only made Setsuna's hysteria worse.

"WOULD YOU GET IN HERE AND GET TO WORK, DAMNIT!" Eva screamed.

Once she got herself under control, she followed the blonde into the back room. The glass sphere that held Eva's mini "resort" gleamed dully as they approached it together. Remembering a day inside this thing was only an hour in the real world, Setsuna really wished it hadn't been smashed just before Asuna's twenty-second birthday. It would have been incredibly useful later in life. Maybe she could save it this time around.

"Negi and Asuna are already inside. Hurry up," Eva growled.

The daylight attacked her eyes the moment she arrived at Eva's "resort". Shading her eyes, she gazed around at the amazingly detailed mini-world Eva had created. The mansion, with its many towers and turrets, rose above them, casting its shadow across the surrounding beach. Around it stretched ocean as far as she could see, which-to her delight-was pretty far. Trying to ignore the inviting waves along the shoreline, she trailed after the tiny vampire. She was definitely going swimming later. It had been far too many years.

"There you guys are," Asuna called from the mansion doorway. Negi stood beside her, a sandwich hanging from his mouth. "What took you so long?"

"Our lovely little half-breed got 'held up'," Eva mocked, striding past the two redheads. "Probably her air-headed 'Ojou-sama''s fault."

Though she quickly turned to try and hide it, Asuna caught the flare of red in Setsuna's face. "Oh my god, it was Konoka! What happened? Spit it out, Setsuna!"

"No!"

"Tell me!"

After many fervent denials that anything had happened Asuna finally let the subject drop and the foursome made their way to the beach. While Negi and Eva kept going to put some distance between everyone, Setsuna drew her sword and faced off with Asuna.

Excited to be back in battle, Setsuna quickly dropped into a Kashima Shinto-ryu stance. Asuna attacked first and she parried, stepping easily into the next stance.

In moments she'd disarmed her friend and had her on the ground.

"Whoa! Setsuna, where'd you learn that style? I was just getting to know your Shinmei-ryu style!"

Crap! She hadn't attended the Kashima Shinto-ryu until she'd been 34! She shouldn't know these techniques!

"Uh, that was Shinmei-ryu. I just switched up the stances a bit. Sorry about that." She pulled Asuna up from the sand.

"Don't be sorry," Asuna laughed, rubbing her posterior. "Just make sure you teach it to me sometime."

Setsuna laughed, until she caught Evangeline staring across the beach at her. The way the vampire's eyes were narrowed made Setsuna's throat run dry. She pretended not to notice the look and positioned herself facing Asuna and not Eva. "Let's try again."

Hours later Negi and Asuna departed, having used up their hour of real time. Eva and Setsuna took a break in one of the cabanas that branched off from the main resort. Chachamaru showed up with food for them and Setsuna found herself unable to maintain eye contact with her robotic classmate. The last time they'd been face to face, a 72 year old Hakase had been removing Chachamaru's power core, effectively killing her. Even though Chachamaru had asked for it to be done, she still felt guilty for not trying harder to stop it.

When Chachamaru disappeared back into the resort Evangeline spoke.

"So, Kashima Shinto-ryu, huh?"

Setsuna gagged on the bit of bisquit she'd just swallowed. It took a few minutes to completely clear her throat and ease the ragged feeling. Finally she managed, "The what?"

"Oh, come on. I've been around longer than Konoka's grandpa, which is really saying something. I lived in a time where swords were still regularly used. You think I don't do my homework before I train you idiots?" Eva took a long sip from her tea, looking calm as ever. "I know a few Kashima Shinto-ryu graduates and I've fought a couple. I had to think about it for a while, but I finally recognized it."

"I dont-"

"You do know what I'm talking about." Eva cut her off. "That was the first stance taught at the Kashima Shinto-ryu. Keeping in mind that sword schools all hate each other and usually refuse to share secrets, why would you-a Shinmei-ryu student-know the techniques of the Kashima Shinto-ryu?"

Crap. Setsuna dug for some kind of explanation, any lie that could be passed off. Nothing.

"Besides, where would you have found time to learn said techniques? It takes many years of practice to get those things down, as you know. Unless you've spent your life skipping from one school to the other without getting caught, you WOULDN'T know both styles, and no offense, but I doubt you're sneaky enough to pull that off." Eva's eyes narrowed again, matching the look she'd given Setsuna on the beach. "So, time for the truth, Setsuna. You know you want to tell someone anyways. Might as well be me."

She had no idea how right she was.

Setsuna was actually over a century old. So was Evangeline. They had both lived an entire lifetime already, whereas their other classmates were barely through their teens. Who else would understand the tiring drag of age? Who else could know how exhausting it was to outlive everyone they loved?

It wasn't exactly the same, since the lifetime Setsuna had already lived didn't even count anymore, but it was enough. She told Evangeline everything.

When she fell silent, Evangeline had a look on her face that Setsuna would associate with being clubbed over the head. "Eva?"

The vampire blinked, seeming to come out of a trance. "Okay, so you're actually 107 years old and Chao gave you a chance to relive your life in return for a few pictures?"

"That's the gyst of it, I guess."

"And when you lived this life before WE lived together for a while?"

"You took care of me, yes."

"Well, there you go." Eva smacked the table. "Now I know you're lying."

"You had your first kiss at age eight, with a boy named William Gr-"

"Okay, okay, I believe you!"

"Thank you."

"So what have you come back to change?"

Fire skittered through her cheeks as she thought of Konoka's kiss earlier. "Uh, Asuna and Negi. They have some kind of falling out within this year or the next and it pretty much screws up everybody's life."

"Over what?"

"I don't know. They never told anyone." Setsuna said.

Eva swirled her empty tea cup, obviously not realizing its contents were gone. "So we need to keep an eye on those two, eh?"

"Yeah-wait, we?"

"Yes, we." The vampire gave her a don't-be-stupid look. "Now that I know everything's gone to shit once already, I have a responsibility to help stop it from happening twice."

Once again, Setsuna had to fight the urge to glomp the little blonde. "Alright, so what do we do?"

"I say we watch closely until something happens that looks like it could be the cause of the break up, then we beat them both senseless and lock them in here until they fix things."

"I don't think that will work..."

"Fine, we'll lock them in here, tie them up, and tickle them into submission."

"Tickle? Really?"

"Would you rather me beat them?"

"No."

"Well then, nyah." Evangeline stuck her tongue out at the swordsman. The gesture was one Setsuna had seen many times over their years living together. For a second it felt like they were there again, sitting around the kitchen table talking about random nonsense to pass the time. Only this time, Eva didn't have to yell so the swordsman could hear.

No matter what happened this time around, she hoped they would have that time again.

Setsuna laughed. "You know, as old as you are, you'd think you'd be more mature."

Evangeline threw a bisquit at her and Setsuna fired one back without hesitation.

"I could say the same to you," Eva chuckled.


End file.
